


IZ: "The City of a Thousand Planets"

by InherentInTheHumanCondition



Series: Supporting Original Characters [2]
Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe, Gen, Major Original Character(s), Minor Canonical Character(s), Moth Alien, Original Character(s), Thief character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:27:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27728771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InherentInTheHumanCondition/pseuds/InherentInTheHumanCondition
Summary: Not planning on any thievery, at least, not today, having learned it is never good to hold on to many valuable items.Among the crowd, Śhadō comes upon a wondrous being who stands above so many. Like a giant swirly mass of stars, out in the empty span of space; an Irken - in royal clothing. The Tallest Irken Śhadō’s ever seen, but not one of The Tallest. This one did not look like those mooncalf’s, Śhadō’s seen in the Humanoid Bounty Hunter’s ‘Resisty Bounty Bingo Book.’Maybe one slip and grab today for Śhadō, will not hurt.
Series: Supporting Original Characters [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1997809
Kudos: 1





	IZ: "The City of a Thousand Planets"

**Author's Note:**

> At some point I’ll either put in the link to his bio here or upload it onto my Tumblr; _apictureisapoemwithoutwords_
> 
> This does hint at an AU version of my Tallest Zim and Space Explorer Dib (ZaDr). To clear confusion, my Angry Lonely War Bred Thief Moth stole a portable version of Computer, why ZIM & Dib were distracted by GIR standing between them.
> 
> [ I May or may not add more or even make it an entire story with Zim & Dib involved. ]

“ **Welcome Visitor ‘** _ **RS’36**_ **, to Habitable Zone -** _ **Zad**_ **; Star System -** _ **Tobias**_ **; Dominion -** _ **Dāleth Fourth**_ **, of the Aphelion Galaxy. Species count per month;** _ **one-hundred thousand**_ **, unique races.** _ **Ten thousand**_ **individual languages. And** _ **one million**_ **possibilities, for** _ **YOUR**_ **dreams, to come true,** _ **here at**_ **~ ‘The City of a Thousand Planets’~.** ”

Having been to this specific place hundreds of times before, with the same ‘Unknown’ screaming down at Śhadō, from the glittering-flashy-glowy sign; by some new and unfamiliar name, in a grating, cheerful tone.

He should be used to it…

Neck craning, Tri-ombre-coloured gaze snaps up, to peer at the bright-glowy, that dared to startle Śhadō, again! Antennae pull up and back in annoyance to being disturbed. A hiss, high-pitched and long, in a warning; admits on instinct, as upper lip pulls up and over dull black razor shark teeth at the sign; written in the Aphelion Galaxy’s most known language, Shartian, reading; ‘Welcome to the Fabulous Zad’M!’ To remind this ‘Unknown’, they are not welcome to Śhadō.

Wings twitching with unseen emotion, in Śhadō, he shakes them out; like dispelling the displeasing wetness, that falls from the skies. Gaze returning downward, to glance around; narrow, with suspicion to all that exists around him. 

Śhadō reaches up; with his everyday use middle arms, to grab his deep black hood; trimmed in gold. To slip it further down, over his features; to hide away what it has exposed, from his hiding place within. And heads off into the crowd, to get lost.

They’re all so very rackety to Śhadō.

The disgusting species, Śhadō stands beside; NOT buying things, only jabbering away, and in Śhadō’s way; is immense even to his hulking-bulk of 6feet - all 4arms and 2legs of limbs and 2 sets of wings, with the creatures ugly-lumpy-gooey 7feet self; that scents’ of something out of an unmoving backwater planet.

“⟟'⎐⟒ ☍⋏⍜⍙⋏ ⏁⊑⟟⌇ ⌿⟟⌰⍜⏁ ⎎⍜⍀ ⊬⟒⏃⍀⌇, ⊑⏃⌇⋏'⏁ ⌰⟒⏁ ⋔⟒ ⎅⍜⍙⋏ ⊬⟒⏁. ☍⋏⍜⍙⟟⋏☌ ⊑⟟⋔, ⊑⟒'⌰⌰ ⌿⍀⍜⏚⏃⏚⌰⊬ ⏚⟒ ⎅⍀⍜⍙⋏⟟⋏☌ ⟟⋏ ⍙⊑⟟⌇☍⟒⊬ ⏃⏁ ⏁⊑⟒ ⏚⏃⍀.” Its tone is like rubbing two stones together; elevated and grating against Śhadō’s antennae.

It takes every ounce of war training, NOT to reach out, and rip its nasty voice box out; for hurting Śhadō’s sensitive feelers. 

Instead, chooses carefully, to pull out enough moonies from its secure hiding spot, to hand over to the seller, Śhadō is doing business with. And snatching away his new prized possession, in their exchange, before the seller can take it away; for whatever unknown reason.

Śhadō hisses, at the judgy-stares directed at him, for his actions, before swiftly darting away; back into the safety of the busy crowd.

A little fuzzy blue thing, with big bright white eyes, too large for its face, run’s straight into Śhadō’s knees.

His large, dark and light coloured antennae shoot straight up; startled, and Śhadō gives a quick low growl, for this surprise attack from below.

“chleatf 2 quulc, u csealto umja cho -” Soft-spoken, nothing like the gooey creature from before, in yet another language, Śhadō’s never heard before. 

Maybe, Śhadō should have turned on the annoying translator.

“- Quul, mechot vag selkelugo joujvougc quoeh quummu -” So quiet, even to Śhadō’s superb hearing, forced to focus intently on whatever this THING, is trying to say, even though Śhadō has not replied.

Pulling his shiny-furry black upper lip back over his teeth, Śhadō hisses; high, long and loud, to make it go away, so he may continue on his way.

Śhadō can sense, see, scent and hear them; even hidden under his hood, as several beings around Śhadō, jump in their own alarm. Disturbed by his warning, they hastily move away; after locating the standoff, afraid there will be a fight and caught between.

Except, Śhadō is in no mood for probing-spying Laws here or anywhere, to fight, and quickly walks around the thing still speaking and leaves.

A great hope it would not follow, as Śhadō escapes all those new eyes; especially the Humanoids, that are much too close for comfort; even if Śhadō’s loaded in weapons, is a weapon and can attack, defend, and kill with only claw to claw.

Among the crowd, Śhadō comes upon a wondrous being who stands above so many. Like a giant swirly mass of stars, out in the empty span of space; an Irken - in royal clothing. The Tallest Irken Śhadō’s ever seen, but not one of The Tallest. This one did not look like those mooncalf’s, Śhadō’s seen in the Humanoid Bounty Hunter’s ‘Resisty Bounty Bingo Book.’

This species is always fascinating to Śhadō, and this one is the most fascinating Irken, not his Kravis, Śhadō has ever laid eyes upon! Towering above all, this Irken is elegant and frail-looking, but they are also intense, so that must mean they are unquestionably hiding all their strength away. Like Śhadō’s Kravis; he too is soft, squishy and frail-looking, but tight-wound like coils, until he is not. Śhadō has seen his Irken witches’ destruction, and it is ravishing and mighty as they foretell of the Irkens wrath.

Not planning on any thievery, at least, not today, having learned it is never good to hold on to, too many valuable items. And currently having plenty of items leftover, to fence from several of his previous loots, slips and grabs, that Śhadō’s conducted on various other planets, along the way. But maybe one slip and grab today for Śhadō, will not hurt.

Nobody here would mind if Śhadō stole from an Irken; because no species likes them. And stealing from an Irken always meant no law to worry about, as they see no such law outside this Empire that dominates them; disgusting.

Pulling his hood down more, Śhadō observes the Irken intimately touch another; who is not Irken and taller than Śhadō, but short then the Irken. Śhadō has never seen their kind before, with its warm brown flesh and lots of black layerings and odd head.

This intrigues him more. Is this Irken, like Kravis, preferring others, not of their kind? 

Did that mean this Irken too is not Empire aligned? It explains, why Irken is are so far very from home; alone, vulnerable. 

Śhadō thinks about this as he follows, a few spaces behind them; studying the pair and how they interacted with one another and those around them.

Śhadō knows what Śhadō wants, the moment he sees it.

Allowing something so unique to be displayed most foolishly, out in the open for all to witness.It floats around the two Taller’s heads; illuminating its surrounding space in shiny vivid colours, even in all the glows of the market. Bobbing back and forth between them as they chat.

The strange species laughs, odd claw things coming up to touch the robotic device, and laughs. A wide smile, turned towards the Irken, as they lean in - Attachment, devotion, worship, tenderness?

Śhadō’s perplexed by the display, so open and bold for the Irken; FROM, the Irken. Not even Irken Kravis has shown acts like this outside the safety of his ship, as if this Irken were that pestiferous Humanoid Bounty Hunter Ӓr’kān; with their forceful, fluffy, courting, wooing reproductive actions… Śhadō wonder’s what they are doing, right now…

So terribly strange. All these beings are.

Of course, Śhadō has no need for such frivolous displays of courtship!

Śhadō needs no one, but Śhadō.

No warm fuzzies will control Śhadō, like his aesthetically pleasing siblings.

Śhadō is strong! Śhadō needs, no one!

“Foolish Mooncalf’s!” He mummers, tone hissing with bitterness. Lip pulling up with the gooey, gooey displays of courtship fancies.

This does not bring fuzzies! Does not make Śhadō joyous with eagerness. This brings that draggy, knotty, empty awareness like being adrift in space, with no means to go anywhere; quietly waiting to be swallowed up. That flighty buzz that takes all control from Śhadō and makes him question everything he knows.

Śhadō does not understand this. It makes him angry, and Śhadō despises these feelings! These feelings that come to Śhadō when the warm fuzzies come, and then they leave. To take everything inside him away, like Śhadō’s a hollow carcass. Left in the wake of these strange beings entering into his tiny view; only to flutter away, just as soon as they have nested, long enough to leave holes in Śhadō’s world.

Shaken from a spiral of thoughts, by a pushy, pushy being, aggressively pushing Śhadō.

Śhadō realizes he has no more time to wait, this is his perfect moment. The Irken and other have taken their eyes off the device. Foolish once again, the focusing not on the prize floating behind them, but on something else, that Śhadō cannot see, between the two tall ones.

It doesn’t matter, whatever it is, is the perfect distraction for him. It’s why Śhadō’s so good with what he does, because of foolish ones, such as this Irken.

Śhadō won’t even try any of his normal tactics of slip and grabs used to pickpocket. Śhadō’s going to go straight to snatch and run. This will be a test to see who is faster, Śhadō or the tall and soft, feeling Irken.

Picking up speed, he slips between other beings, ignoring sounds and voices that get angry for bumping into them. The sole focus is that silver round device. Śhadō reaches up, with his large fighting arms; the robot he wants is too big for his normal hands, and with razor shark, black nimble claws he wraps them around its sleek cool metal and yanks it down, and under his cloak. Not stopping to look back, he takes off. Śhadō can hear them gasp in shock and then there is angry Irken clicking, and some strange tongue, as they call out.

Śhadō is always expecting a chase, when working this sort of noisy, out in the open-angle. So, he tries never to snatch and grab, but today he wants a chase. He needs to fight for his prize. To prove Śhadō’s superior to the gooey feeling Irken.

Except when Śhadō eventually turns to catch sight of the Irken, there is nothing there; no chaos at all.

Stopping to stare overall he can, an awful realization comes to Śhadō; nobody has followed to retrieve the tablet, nobody has concerned themselves with him.

Śhadō wanted, so badly to prove he is better. That Śhadō’s worthy of all he’s accomplished, and without a doubt, somebody cares!

And then the world shifts and Śhadō is right back to the first day of winghood. Killing a slaver and stealing its ship. Pausing before takeoff, to look back at the destruction of his little home, the only life he’s ever known. The betrayal of their aesthetically pleasing sibling, who has sold all 199 of them out, because it’s 1 life is worthy, and all of theirs is not.

And now Śhadō is all alone, because he’s frivolity in this expansive world and, yet, to Śhadō, it is just as tiny, zeroing in as the world becomes just him.

And as rapidly as Śhadō’s world changed before, it shifts again. Returning to the present with its vivid shades of emotions and colours, as Śhadō catches the sound of something there among all the other noise. Somebody is chasing them. Śhadō can’t see them, yet, but further down, the crowd, both tall and not so tall, turn to stare at something around the corner.

And suddenly, they all part, as the Irken and its ODD partner comes into sight. Śhadō’s face brightens, splitting into a massive grin, and Śhadō waits, because they both came. So kind to allow them to catch up. The Irken is far slower than Śhadō remembers, Irken to be. Is it the other’s fault that they are slow or its own? 

The Irken is not even using its PAK legs, that would have added in the valuable distance needed to catch with Śhadō, even with its long stride.

Is it possible, the Irken thinks its height has enough advantages, well Śhadō will prove its height a hindrance and overconfidence it’s undoing.

DAMN, I’m late with this, but I suddenly got an idea on how to revamp it, as I was cleaning it up to post and so, oh well!

It’s not so much a WIP as it was part of a story that I will never continue, as I created it for something that will never happen now. So, it was sitting unloved in google docs. And I saw WIP Wednesday and figured, I’d spice it back up by taking out pieces I couldn’t use and bam!

It’s now an AU, in which Zim is a taller. In fact, he is the Tallest, but, not for The Empire. (My first and ONLY Tallest Zim AU.) And here he is travelling the expanse of space with Dib, Gir, and Computer; who happens to be the intriguing object stolen.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, for the Hits. And for all those who read it and follow, Kudo'd, Bookmarked, Subscribed and Commented! Bless! And remember, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!


End file.
